Such a Nice Boy

Shortly before Christmas Pig had his hands full tending to little girls around the house.


Often I prop a picture book in front of Monchichi to amuse her (and sneak off to do chores...and because it's a book and not TV I don't have to feel guilty, right?) Pig was home on this particular occasion and on his own he decided to stop playing and *read* to her...Monchi couldn't take her eyes off him the entire time.

My friend Sinead who just moved to Zurich came back recently for a visit with her 1 year old daughter, who was enamoured with the Blue Elephant as well as Pig's impeccable service. She had him wrapped around her little finger to push her to and fro around the apartment. He did it gladly and cheerfully, stopping only to check out her big grin.

Pig is a real gentleman!

NB: Just so I don't send everyone off to LaLaLand - Pig is still as you remember him. Daily tantrums regularly erupt along the way of going to bed or brushing teeth or just getting out the door. BUT, he does have a very good heart for littler people so Monchichi may luck out, after all. He really likes Katy Perry's Hot N Cold and is tickled when I sing it to him. Does he see our relationship in the refrain like I do ?

The Haggling Begins

I just put Monchichi to bed and am doing my usual surfing in the same room until she falls asleep, about 15 minutes or so. In this time before the deep breathing begins I'm sometimes called upon to go pop the pacifier back in her mouth. Just now as I was tending to this duty I saw her eyes wide open and she shined a gigantic winning smile my way - at 8 weeks old she was CHARMING me to stay and play with her!! Aaahhh!! Freaky Baby, go to sleep!!!

Christmas is Coming!

We finally put up our tree this past weekend, and Piggy did a great job hanging the ornaments. Here he is warming up with some air guitaring to Apres-Ski Hits 2000 (we need some xmas music on the ipod)

Pig has a discerning eye.

The hard work was rewarded by Christmas cookies


I like this picture, even though Monchichi is actually screaming.

On This Point I'm Very European, Very Julia Roberts

Hope sent us a package a few days ago with all sorts of nice things for Pig and Monchichi. As I was checking out Monchi's newborn outfit, Jochen looked through the rest of the box and said Hope also sent me something. Deoderant, 4 types.

He thought that was pretty funny.

I took a quick look and my mind started racing through the possibilities:

A. Hope wanted to say something to me when we last saw each other in LA this past March

B. Hope won a year's supply when she participated in her local Race for the Cure 5K

C. This is the reflection of the ever increasing grooming standards of sexy singles in the US

In the end I thought she must have gotten these from her mom or something, and as Hope is about to head off to Auckland to complete her PhD (in statistics -eek!) she's winding things down in SF and probably just threw them in along with the rest of the stuff. Which is cool, except that I KNOW for a fact that Hope is a product junkie, so I was a bit put out that I got the armpit supply and all the good Shu Uemera or Benefits stuff went to Aimee (who to be fair actually KNOWS how to apply makeup).

A few days later I was intrigued and decided to try the Cotton Candy flavor. This is definitely one of those first world products that Barbara Kingsolver would rail against. It smelled good, but when I put it on and it didn't FEEL good.

I finally read the copy on the packaging - kiddie soap!!

Here's to Hope's great adventure ahead in the southern hemisphere. I'm glad we got to clash outfits beautifully earlier this year before you revert from city girl with fancy schmancy "deoderant" to outdoorsy girl again. Have fun and see you down there or in Europe soon!!

Aimee, Yiwen, Hope - college roommates forever!

Sweet!

This is how we like 'em...

Monchichi Smiles

Monchichi started smiling a week ago...

Before I get tsk-tsks about how I should comb her hair: First, I like it all wild and crazy. Second, on the whole it's better I stay away from my children's hair. This is what happened the last time I gave Pig a haircut.

So Not Good

This morning I logged in my account and found my boss had sent me the 33 page Ford filing to Congress re $25 billion loan. Because I had a good night's sleep I trolled through it quickly and most of the material was familiar: First, Ford wants to distinguish itself from its peers by saying it doesn't have short term liquidity problems, and therefore is only requesting a ready line of credit at this time. Second, Ford goes to great lengths to say, prior to the current meltdown, it had already taken steps to restructure its business and third, in its business plans Ford has a lineup of products that will be ecologically responsible and attractive to consumers.

Many of you have asked what my views are of the bailout, and I've been trying to think of the Big 3 individually as well as the US auto industry in general. If I look at the individual companies, I have to say I have no clue what the guys at GM are doing. Given the cash intensive business we're in, I think Wagoner and crew should be sacked for taking so long to admit they need a cash infusion of $4 billion before end of the year, or else. Tell me credit crisis or not they didn't see this one coming for a while. The fact that they wasted their energy as late as September this year to discuss a potential merger with Chrysler is a clear sign they live in a different parallel universe. Chrysler is mainly a US entity and one that's probably most in jeopardy, given I'm cynical about Cerberus' intentions. Ford, my company, is probably the best at execution, but the question remains whether under current pressures we will only take steps for the short term (2011 is still short term for me) or really do more than pay lip service to sustainability and think where we will take this company in the next 10,20 years.

As for the automotive industry in general, I hope the public picks up the following points: First, there is a danger of a domino effect in terms of the supply base: should GM go under the other two will also be severly impacted. Second, as an HR person I joined this industry because it is unionized (and I'm not asked to go be a union buster) and provides decent jobs and wages for its employees. I continue to reject the race to the bottom in terms of striving for the lowest pay and standard of living. The UAW and Big 3 had some cushy deals in the past, and as far as I'm concerned it's ok if we don't preserve these $20/hr jobs with benefits...as long as we are willing to build up the social safety net that is currently lacking in this country. $9/hr with no health insurance is not a living wage. Finally, there are steps the govt can take instead of (or in addition to) handing over a check. There are infrastructure decisions to be made if we are to have a future with electric vehicles/mass transit - make those investments and create a market for automakers in general. Then sit back to see if the Big 3 step up to the plate...

I am sad about the current state of affairs in Mumbai, Zimbabwe and the Congo at this time, but it really serves to remind us that there are plenty of other issues worthy of our attention, aside from the fluctuations of the Dow. Our lives likely WILL NOT be as materially comfortable as before, but we're far from merely surviving, as so many are in this world...

So Good

Can I tell you, yesterday was another good night - I got like 7 hours of sleep (with one wakeup at 4am). Monchichi is awesome.

Her only problem is she spits up regularly - not a lot but more than I remembered from Piggy (actually I don't remember much from that period). And, sorry to embarass you hon, you're one gassy baby. Can you tell from the pic?


Pig came home last week and thought this measly string of lights was the most awesome, ever. The tree is next, once we locate our box of ornaments.

Finally, this doesn't look like the end product, but here is one of the photos from our Christmas card photo shoot session. And no, we and Sarah don't think the antlers are cheesy, you intellectual elitist!